What a day! I had off, my new Yeti, and it was a nice 72 degrees. I decided to fully explore the
Kings Grant II / Aerohaven area as this is where we will work with the IMBA and the township to
build a nice large XC loop / race course. I had been through part og the KGII side but never
ventured further. The entrance was the usual Pine Barrens soft sand. I was looking for some good
single track to start the trail building. So I took one of the side jaunts and off I went.
Beautifully carved hardpack made by the dirtbikes of yesterday (before the cops kicked them out).
Over nice roots and some water traps and even a bubbling (you wouldn't like the smell) brook bridge.
The terrain was pretty level which gave me enough speed to attack some of the burms and small
drop-offs for the Dew maneuvers. OK, maybe just a foot or two but it was fun. I continued straight
and hit a road. Funny thing was I was standing under the no trasspassing sign when a patrol car came
around the corner. He slowed down, smiled, and off he went. This land is now open space/rec property
so I think the signs are a bit dated. I doubled back and took another sigle track heading southwest.
The ruts here were deep and it then turned into double track. By the looks of the markings a quad or
two cut this. This had a nice slight downhill and was definately a fast piece of land. Hit a few
jumps and switchbacks that the quad folk must have created.
Eventually I ran into the Aerohaven property. It is an abandoned airport and asbestos dump (now
cleaned up) with some nice BMX course layouts. On an XC bike it's not great, but I've taken my DS
bike here and had a blast. I took a small fire road to the east but the sand took over and I had to
turn around and head back to the pines. Hitting a beautiful single track I road for what seemed like
miles with the Yeti taking it all in stride (did I mention I love this bike). It was then into the
steeps around the old cranberry bogs (whch were wet) and then a fast downhill for a mile through the
water treatment remediation zone. This is a series of high powered impulse sprinklers which spray
treated sewage water into the woods (yes, it's clean). Only half were on so I was able to use the
non-working half single track to buzz around to the east towards Medford and then back onto the golf
course paths to my car.
The odometer read 15.2 miles when I was done and I didn't even touch half of the paths that were
there! When the trails are completed here, it will be a premier destination for flat southern
jersey. Once again I forgot my iPod and my camera. I will post photos on my next run.